Odell Beckham Jr. became the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL on August 27, when he signed a five-year contract extension with the Giants worth up to $95 million. The deal was the culmination of a long journey from undersized college recruit to overnight NFL phenomenon to a fifth-year veteran returning from a perspective-altering injury.

Beckham is the NFL’s most recognizable non-quarterback, with his signature blonde hair and a crossover appeal that enabled the 25-year-old to land the richest shoe deal ever for an NFL player with Nike last May. He is covered as intently by TMZ as by sports publications, yet the celebrity with 11.4 million Instagram followers remains an enigma.

The Athletic set out to get to know the man who is set to be the face of the Giants into the next decade by getting the stories of the people who have been there throughout Beckham’s trek from his Louisiana childhood to Big Apple stardom.